Tuesday, June 11 - Update
I have added a bit more text but mainly maps showing where we traveled. I have more to do, so check back for more...
This site separates blog entries by month. When you get to the end of one month, click on Older Posts to see the previous month's entries...
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013 Day 14 (Updated June 9 at 10:55am CDT)
The final day of our journey has arrived. We had a 4:30am wake-up call, then were ready for the bus at 5:30am which arrived shortly after. About 75 minute drive to Heathrow Airport, checking in our bags, going thru security, an a mile walk to the gate and we are 2 hours from flying out.
Mary and Kelly split off and headed to their flight to Boston. Shirrel, Karen, and Rachel headed to the rental cars to continue their visit for a few more days.
The remaining 24 of us are waiting for the plane...
A few have been struck by Montezuma's revenge so they are resting and staying comfortable. Hope the flight is not too bumpy.
Over the next week or so I will be adding more information to the posts I've already made and posting more photos. Feel free to stop by and check out the new info. (For any post I update I will have a statement after the original that the post was updated and the date and time I updated it. Might make it easier to know which pages to revisit.)
Any traveler that wishes to share some of their photos or stories, please send them to me. john.bezyATgmail.com will get them to me and I'll be glad to share them on this blog..
Update:
Yes, we are back in the Central Time zone!!!
The flight from London to JFK went very well. Even Customs and re-checking our backs was OK. We had to go thru another security screen. We were in the NEW $1.4B (yes, B for billion) Terminal 4 that has been touted for its enhanced and improved everything. Security was still slow and no scanners, just the same old human pat-down, and to board the plane we had to walk down a long tunnel, go out on the tarmac, and climb the stairway. Some improvements...
Anyway we left JFK only an hour late and got into Minneapolis 40 minutes late. We are still scheduled to depart Minneapolis and arrive in Omaha as per the original schedule.
It was raining in New York and looks like it has and will rain some more in Minneapolis. It can rain all it wants now that we've finished the trip.
C U Soon !!
Update 2:
We made it back! Apparently there was some confusion on Delta's part as to when we were arriving, but we arrived exactly on schedule. And fortunately, all of the bags arrived as well.
Update 3:
We heard from our Boston group they made it to Boston. They were delayed an hour leaving London and actually left London after we did. Probably due to the remnants of the tropical storm that was going up the East coast that we missed when we went into JFK.
Our departure from Minneapolis was in question due to the storms going thru the Omaha area but the pilots were able to find smooth air to the west, behind the storms and we arrived with only small amount of turbulence.
In spite of a couple of ankle problems, a back problem, a foot problem, and two or three possible cases of food poisoning, we survived the travel home.
Some comments made during the travel:
- I'm going to wake up in my own bed tomorrow!
- No alarm or wake up! I'll get to sleep in!
- I get to look forward to doing the laundry.
- It will seem strange not waking up and going to breakfast and seeing all of you (fellow travelers).
- Darn! I'm going to have to make my own coffee!!
- I get to cut my foot-high grass.
A great trip and thanks to everyone for making it so.
The final day of our journey has arrived. We had a 4:30am wake-up call, then were ready for the bus at 5:30am which arrived shortly after. About 75 minute drive to Heathrow Airport, checking in our bags, going thru security, an a mile walk to the gate and we are 2 hours from flying out.
Mary and Kelly split off and headed to their flight to Boston. Shirrel, Karen, and Rachel headed to the rental cars to continue their visit for a few more days.
The remaining 24 of us are waiting for the plane...
A few have been struck by Montezuma's revenge so they are resting and staying comfortable. Hope the flight is not too bumpy.
Over the next week or so I will be adding more information to the posts I've already made and posting more photos. Feel free to stop by and check out the new info. (For any post I update I will have a statement after the original that the post was updated and the date and time I updated it. Might make it easier to know which pages to revisit.)
Any traveler that wishes to share some of their photos or stories, please send them to me. john.bezyATgmail.com will get them to me and I'll be glad to share them on this blog..
Update:
Yes, we are back in the Central Time zone!!!
The flight from London to JFK went very well. Even Customs and re-checking our backs was OK. We had to go thru another security screen. We were in the NEW $1.4B (yes, B for billion) Terminal 4 that has been touted for its enhanced and improved everything. Security was still slow and no scanners, just the same old human pat-down, and to board the plane we had to walk down a long tunnel, go out on the tarmac, and climb the stairway. Some improvements...
Anyway we left JFK only an hour late and got into Minneapolis 40 minutes late. We are still scheduled to depart Minneapolis and arrive in Omaha as per the original schedule.
It was raining in New York and looks like it has and will rain some more in Minneapolis. It can rain all it wants now that we've finished the trip.
C U Soon !!
Update 2:
We made it back! Apparently there was some confusion on Delta's part as to when we were arriving, but we arrived exactly on schedule. And fortunately, all of the bags arrived as well.
Update 3:
We heard from our Boston group they made it to Boston. They were delayed an hour leaving London and actually left London after we did. Probably due to the remnants of the tropical storm that was going up the East coast that we missed when we went into JFK.
Our departure from Minneapolis was in question due to the storms going thru the Omaha area but the pilots were able to find smooth air to the west, behind the storms and we arrived with only small amount of turbulence.
In spite of a couple of ankle problems, a back problem, a foot problem, and two or three possible cases of food poisoning, we survived the travel home.
Some comments made during the travel:
- I'm going to wake up in my own bed tomorrow!
- No alarm or wake up! I'll get to sleep in!
- I get to look forward to doing the laundry.
- It will seem strange not waking up and going to breakfast and seeing all of you (fellow travelers).
- Darn! I'm going to have to make my own coffee!!
- I get to cut my foot-high grass.
A great trip and thanks to everyone for making it so.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013 Day 13 (updated @ 5:30pm London time)
(We discovered yesterday that the Ibis hotel we are using is sufficiently close to a Premier Inn hotel, the same chain we used in Edinburgh, hence we are in range of their wireless. So I have signed up for their free 30 minutes of usage and won't have to go in search of a location for wireless. But it's still only 30 minutes a day..)
Our last full day on the trip...
We start the day by tubing into London and going to Westminster Abbey for an inside tour.
After that we will be having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe London.
Then we head for the Tower of London to tour and observe some ceremonies.
Dinner will be at the Ivory House close to Tower Hill.
Most folks will head back to the hotel to do their final pack in preparation for our very early rising and departure for the airport Saturday morning. Several people will be doing a Jack the Ripper tour this evening.
We have been very busy but having a wonderful trip, with exceptional weather.
The temp yesterday was in the mid-70s. It set a record as the highest temp of the year so far. Today has the potential of being even a bit warmer.. We'll see...
More later...
A comment:Never have i seen so many so many girls braiding other girls or leaders hair! It has become the popular sport. Kinda like a troop of monkeys grooming each other.
Mary has been sending the e-mails to heaven daily so the storms that were in the area today only dropped a few drops. Aagin, thanks for the wonderful weather...
(We discovered yesterday that the Ibis hotel we are using is sufficiently close to a Premier Inn hotel, the same chain we used in Edinburgh, hence we are in range of their wireless. So I have signed up for their free 30 minutes of usage and won't have to go in search of a location for wireless. But it's still only 30 minutes a day..)
Our last full day on the trip...
We start the day by tubing into London and going to Westminster Abbey for an inside tour.
After that we will be having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe London.
Then we head for the Tower of London to tour and observe some ceremonies.
Dinner will be at the Ivory House close to Tower Hill.
Most folks will head back to the hotel to do their final pack in preparation for our very early rising and departure for the airport Saturday morning. Several people will be doing a Jack the Ripper tour this evening.
We have been very busy but having a wonderful trip, with exceptional weather.
The temp yesterday was in the mid-70s. It set a record as the highest temp of the year so far. Today has the potential of being even a bit warmer.. We'll see...
More later...
A comment:Never have i seen so many so many girls braiding other girls or leaders hair! It has become the popular sport. Kinda like a troop of monkeys grooming each other.
Mary has been sending the e-mails to heaven daily so the storms that were in the area today only dropped a few drops. Aagin, thanks for the wonderful weather...
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013 Day 12
As we started the day we remembered those who participated in D-Day all those years ago...
We had no access to internet on Wednesday so I'll recap briefly...
Wednesday -June 5, 2013
Many of the Scouts and parents went to the Girls Scout Pax Lodge for the morning to enjoy the pinning ceremony and the official tea ceremony.
Several others went in search of museums, many headed out shopping, and two guys grabbed a local train and went to Bletchley Park which is the museum dedicated to the British codebreakers of World War II.
After Pax Lodge, some went on the Magical Mystery Tour, others did the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and others continued to shop.
Several slept in late and went to the 5-story Toy Store.
It was a long day and several people took advantage of the long tube ride back to the hotel...
Thursday, June 6...
We had a long drive to Bath to see the Roman Baths and the natural hot spring. The normal 3 hour trip toop over 4 hours because of huge traffic jams.
After Bath, wee headed over to Stonehenge to see the 5000 year old, what do you call it since no one really knows?? but it was impressive. Hard to imaging a people 5000 years ago being able to position stones that weighed from 5000 pounds to 14000 pounds!
A 3 hour bus ride back into London to enjoy a terrific meal at Hummus Brothers. We had hummus with spiced chicken on top, pita bread, chips, carrot sticks, and a chickpea and vegetable piece {think of a slider) that had been fried in olive oil. For dessert we had a custard with a "plum" sauce. I'm probably not doing them justice, but the meal we had there 2 years ago and this time were excellent.
Headed back on the Tube now to the hotel...
By now, most of the sheep we are seeing have had their wool sheared off. They seem to have survived with no problems.
As we started the day we remembered those who participated in D-Day all those years ago...
We had no access to internet on Wednesday so I'll recap briefly...
Wednesday -June 5, 2013
Many of the Scouts and parents went to the Girls Scout Pax Lodge for the morning to enjoy the pinning ceremony and the official tea ceremony.
Several others went in search of museums, many headed out shopping, and two guys grabbed a local train and went to Bletchley Park which is the museum dedicated to the British codebreakers of World War II.
After Pax Lodge, some went on the Magical Mystery Tour, others did the Sherlock Holmes Museum, and others continued to shop.
Several slept in late and went to the 5-story Toy Store.
It was a long day and several people took advantage of the long tube ride back to the hotel...
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| Napping on the Tube under London. |
 |
| Catnap on the bus. |
Thursday, June 6...
We had a long drive to Bath to see the Roman Baths and the natural hot spring. The normal 3 hour trip toop over 4 hours because of huge traffic jams.
After Bath, wee headed over to Stonehenge to see the 5000 year old, what do you call it since no one really knows?? but it was impressive. Hard to imaging a people 5000 years ago being able to position stones that weighed from 5000 pounds to 14000 pounds!
A 3 hour bus ride back into London to enjoy a terrific meal at Hummus Brothers. We had hummus with spiced chicken on top, pita bread, chips, carrot sticks, and a chickpea and vegetable piece {think of a slider) that had been fried in olive oil. For dessert we had a custard with a "plum" sauce. I'm probably not doing them justice, but the meal we had there 2 years ago and this time were excellent.
Headed back on the Tube now to the hotel...
By now, most of the sheep we are seeing have had their wool sheared off. They seem to have survived with no problems.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 Day 10
As we suspected, the Ibis Hotel we are in in East London only has pay-for internet, so I will be relegated to finding a pub for lunch each day and doing the updates while sampled the local adult beverages. I know, tough duty but I will bear the sacrifice...
We headed for London from the hotel about 8am, stopped to pick up our local guide Barry (he was with us 2 years ago but didn't seem to recall; he's very good, very articulate, and keeps things moving. We had a bus tour of parts of the downtown London, then headed for St Paul's Cathedral. Magnificent! and very historical.
After walking around for bit more we headed to Westminster Abbey and arrived about 15 minutes before the end of the Queen's coronation. Several people spotted the Queen as well as Kate and Harry. An unexpected event. We then headed through St James' park over to Buckingham Palace to see it and have a group photo.
We are walking about on our own till dinner at 5pm. Some headed to the Globe Theater, some went back back to St Paul's, and some of us (all adults even by US standards)are in the Bag o' Nails pub...
We meet at Piccadilly Circus for dinner - Indian tonight, then slit into 2 groups, one headed to the show Wicked, the other group headed to We Will Rock You.
As we suspected, the Ibis Hotel we are in in East London only has pay-for internet, so I will be relegated to finding a pub for lunch each day and doing the updates while sampled the local adult beverages. I know, tough duty but I will bear the sacrifice...
We headed for London from the hotel about 8am, stopped to pick up our local guide Barry (he was with us 2 years ago but didn't seem to recall; he's very good, very articulate, and keeps things moving. We had a bus tour of parts of the downtown London, then headed for St Paul's Cathedral. Magnificent! and very historical.
After walking around for bit more we headed to Westminster Abbey and arrived about 15 minutes before the end of the Queen's coronation. Several people spotted the Queen as well as Kate and Harry. An unexpected event. We then headed through St James' park over to Buckingham Palace to see it and have a group photo.
 |
| Group at Buckingham Palace |
We are walking about on our own till dinner at 5pm. Some headed to the Globe Theater, some went back back to St Paul's, and some of us (all adults even by US standards)are in the Bag o' Nails pub...
We meet at Piccadilly Circus for dinner - Indian tonight, then slit into 2 groups, one headed to the show Wicked, the other group headed to We Will Rock You.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Sunday and Monday, June 2 and 3, 2013 Days 8 and 9
Only a short post from just Sunday since I only had a few minutes in the AM while still in Edinburgh but then at the evening hotel we had very limited internet access and what we had was very expensive... I am sitting in the wonderful British Museum in London as I start this. Might have to get it done now since we will be in the same hotel chain in London as in Leeds where we were last night and they might not have free internet.
Sunday
Left early from Edinburgh and drove South into England. We stopped to see the Alnwyck Castle - a remarkable castle in very excellent shape thanks to the current owners. And current is relative- the family has owned it for 700 years..It is the castle where several of the outdoor scenes from 2 Harry Potter movies were made.
We spent 3 hours exploring, then boarded the bus to head South. We stopped at the walled city of York. Most of the walls are still in goo shape so we walked on them around to the Minster - the largest church North of the Alps. It is HUGE... Unfortunately we could not go in because they were having a service in commemoration of the Queen's 60th Anniversary of her Coronation, which is actually being celebrated Tuesday here in London..
We left York and headed to Leeds where we spent the night. The hotel was very modern,. with space-age toilets - looked like it was an entirely modular unit they simply dropped in. The dinner was Cottage Pie - the same thing as Shepard Pie but Shepard Pie is made with lamb and in Cottage Pie they can use any other type of meat. We think we had beef. Tasted good along with the vegetables and the chocolate cake. We have not been short of good food on this trip.
Monday
Up early and left just after 8am for the 5 hour drive to London. It's a beautiful day - about 60 degrees, a slight breeze, and occasional clouds. Tons of people around. We stopped on the North Embankment (the edge of the River Thames), had a potty break, grabbed some food, then headed out on a walking tour which took us through Trafalgar Square and now to the British Museum. This museum is one of the largest - over 8 million artifacts. The biggest attraction is the Rosetta Stone - the stone that when finally discovered was used to translate the ancient hieroglyphics. We are here until 5:30pm.
We leave here to head to dinner - traditional fish and chips, then to our hotel for the next 5 days.
I hope to add more comments and some photos this evening...
Only a short post from just Sunday since I only had a few minutes in the AM while still in Edinburgh but then at the evening hotel we had very limited internet access and what we had was very expensive... I am sitting in the wonderful British Museum in London as I start this. Might have to get it done now since we will be in the same hotel chain in London as in Leeds where we were last night and they might not have free internet.
Sunday
Left early from Edinburgh and drove South into England. We stopped to see the Alnwyck Castle - a remarkable castle in very excellent shape thanks to the current owners. And current is relative- the family has owned it for 700 years..It is the castle where several of the outdoor scenes from 2 Harry Potter movies were made.
We spent 3 hours exploring, then boarded the bus to head South. We stopped at the walled city of York. Most of the walls are still in goo shape so we walked on them around to the Minster - the largest church North of the Alps. It is HUGE... Unfortunately we could not go in because they were having a service in commemoration of the Queen's 60th Anniversary of her Coronation, which is actually being celebrated Tuesday here in London..
We left York and headed to Leeds where we spent the night. The hotel was very modern,. with space-age toilets - looked like it was an entirely modular unit they simply dropped in. The dinner was Cottage Pie - the same thing as Shepard Pie but Shepard Pie is made with lamb and in Cottage Pie they can use any other type of meat. We think we had beef. Tasted good along with the vegetables and the chocolate cake. We have not been short of good food on this trip.
Monday
Up early and left just after 8am for the 5 hour drive to London. It's a beautiful day - about 60 degrees, a slight breeze, and occasional clouds. Tons of people around. We stopped on the North Embankment (the edge of the River Thames), had a potty break, grabbed some food, then headed out on a walking tour which took us through Trafalgar Square and now to the British Museum. This museum is one of the largest - over 8 million artifacts. The biggest attraction is the Rosetta Stone - the stone that when finally discovered was used to translate the ancient hieroglyphics. We are here until 5:30pm.
We leave here to head to dinner - traditional fish and chips, then to our hotel for the next 5 days.
I hope to add more comments and some photos this evening...
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013 Day 8
The day is starting very clear with a slight chill in the air. Looks to be a good day.
We depart about 7:30 for a 2 and one half hour drive South to Alnwick Castle. We have 3 hours to visit the castle then we are on our way to Bath for dinner then to the hotel.
More later...
Broomstick training starts today so maybe we will have the girls give it a try..
http://www.alnwickcastle.com/
After Alnwick Castle we headed further South into England, thru York to spend the night in Leeds.
The day is starting very clear with a slight chill in the air. Looks to be a good day.
We depart about 7:30 for a 2 and one half hour drive South to Alnwick Castle. We have 3 hours to visit the castle then we are on our way to Bath for dinner then to the hotel.
More later...
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| Alnwick Castle |
http://www.alnwickcastle.com/
After Alnwick Castle we headed further South into England, thru York to spend the night in Leeds.
Saturday, June 1, 2013, Day 7 - the first day of June and for most Europeans, the first day of Summer...
I am still limited on time for this internet usage in the hotel so this will be short and sweet. I hope to get more time at our next stops and then I will expound more on these shorted 2 days.
We had the wake-up call set for 7:30. Most were up by then with great expectations about seeing more of Edinburgh. A good continental breakfast and we were all off on the bus into Edinburgh to pick up our local guide. We met Dave Stalker, a true Scotsman and a member of the McFarland clan.
Dave gave us a wonderfully witty guided bus tour of the old city and central city of Edinburgh. We stopped at the Holyrood House Palace, where the Queen stays, and then on to the Royal Mile (the road that leads from the Palace all the way up the hill to the Edinburgh Castle) and then a very nice walking tour of the Castle. When Dave was done we had 5 hours of open time. Most explored a but more of the castle, then scattered in the groups of at least 3 to do shopping, have lunch, do shopping, sight-see, do shopping, you get the idea...
Here is the Main or Great Hall:
And why is this famous? Who is a very famous Edinburgh resident who used to wander the streets and coffee houses of Edinburgh, writing? Give up? Think Harry Potter.. Yes, J.K. Rowling. She supposedly used this Great Hall as the inspiration for the Hogwarts Great Hall. She even conducted the launch of the book Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince from this very Great Hall!! (Tomorrow we head south to see the castle that was used for some of the filming!!)
We then gathered at the Wellington Monument and walked to dinner. Alas, it had sprinkled some doing the day and was doing it again as we walked to dinner.
Our after dinner entertainment was provided by a Scot and Brit in the bar next door who decided to take their fight out onto the sidewalk as we walked by.. After all these years the Brits and the Scots are still not on very friendly terms.. Remember Braveheart? The Scots certainly do.
Anyway, we then went to "Ghost Walk". Turned out to be more of a comedy and history lesson. The girls had a great time and the 2 actors were wonderfully entertaining.
We have an early start tomorrow and will be headed South into England and stopping at the castle used for some of the Harry Potter movies.
I am still limited on time for this internet usage in the hotel so this will be short and sweet. I hope to get more time at our next stops and then I will expound more on these shorted 2 days.
We had the wake-up call set for 7:30. Most were up by then with great expectations about seeing more of Edinburgh. A good continental breakfast and we were all off on the bus into Edinburgh to pick up our local guide. We met Dave Stalker, a true Scotsman and a member of the McFarland clan.
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| Edinburgh Castle |
Here is the Main or Great Hall:
And why is this famous? Who is a very famous Edinburgh resident who used to wander the streets and coffee houses of Edinburgh, writing? Give up? Think Harry Potter.. Yes, J.K. Rowling. She supposedly used this Great Hall as the inspiration for the Hogwarts Great Hall. She even conducted the launch of the book Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince from this very Great Hall!! (Tomorrow we head south to see the castle that was used for some of the filming!!)
We then gathered at the Wellington Monument and walked to dinner. Alas, it had sprinkled some doing the day and was doing it again as we walked to dinner.
Our after dinner entertainment was provided by a Scot and Brit in the bar next door who decided to take their fight out onto the sidewalk as we walked by.. After all these years the Brits and the Scots are still not on very friendly terms.. Remember Braveheart? The Scots certainly do.
Anyway, we then went to "Ghost Walk". Turned out to be more of a comedy and history lesson. The girls had a great time and the 2 actors were wonderfully entertaining.
 |
| After the Spooky Tour of Edinburgh |
We have an early start tomorrow and will be headed South into England and stopping at the castle used for some of the Harry Potter movies.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Friday,May 31. Day 6
What a SPECTACULAR day. We left Manchester and headed North toward Scotland. We passed through the west edge of the wonderful Lake District of the UK and saw several lakes along with hill, valleys and plains.
(I only have 30 minutes free on this system so I will put down a few thoughts and maybe one photo and try to make it up later when I have more time. We have 2 nights at this hotel so it might be a couple of days.)
The weather was warm with a breeze of 15 to 30 mph from the west so it made our visit to Hadrian's Wall a great excursion. From the bus drop off it was over a half mile hike up the hill to get to the last remaining fort on the wall. In Hadrian's time, there was a fort with a garrison of about 800 soldiers every mile. Everyone made the trek.
After Hadrian's Wall we headed further North and in about an hour crossed into Scotland. We were greeted by a piper and took a group photo.
We drove on into Edinburgh to the Jolly Ristorante, and Italian pizza and pasta joint close to the city center where we had dinner, then headed to our hotel-Premier Inn, outside Edinburgh.
More later..
What a SPECTACULAR day. We left Manchester and headed North toward Scotland. We passed through the west edge of the wonderful Lake District of the UK and saw several lakes along with hill, valleys and plains.
(I only have 30 minutes free on this system so I will put down a few thoughts and maybe one photo and try to make it up later when I have more time. We have 2 nights at this hotel so it might be a couple of days.)
The weather was warm with a breeze of 15 to 30 mph from the west so it made our visit to Hadrian's Wall a great excursion. From the bus drop off it was over a half mile hike up the hill to get to the last remaining fort on the wall. In Hadrian's time, there was a fort with a garrison of about 800 soldiers every mile. Everyone made the trek.
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| Part of the fort at Hadrian's Wall |
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| Trying on a "plot" for size. |
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| Room for a few friends. |
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| Having a ghost party?? |
After Hadrian's Wall we headed further North and in about an hour crossed into Scotland. We were greeted by a piper and took a group photo.
 |
| At the rest stop upon entering Scotland |
We drove on into Edinburgh to the Jolly Ristorante, and Italian pizza and pasta joint close to the city center where we had dinner, then headed to our hotel-Premier Inn, outside Edinburgh.
More later..
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday.. May 30, Day 5
Wake up call at 0530, luggage packed on bus by 0615, and departed with our sack breakfasts
at 0630 for the Dublin docks. We boarded one of the huge Irish Ferries ferrys, departed Ireland at 8:05.
The seas were running 1 - 2 feet so the passage was very smooth. That didn't keep a few people
from having motion sickness issues even after dosing with some Dramamine. Many slept for most of the voyage. No internet so the blog had to wait until the evening to be updated.
Since the UK is located at such a high latitude, it gets light very early and stays light later than in the US currently. Daylight starts about 4:15am and the day doesn't get dark until after 9:30pm. It's making it difficult for some travelers to get their sleep rhythm back.
Landed at Holyhead in Wales about 11:30am. Left the boat, grabbed our luggage, and boarded a new bus with a new driver - Lauchan...
Traveled a short bit in Wales to the city with the longest name in the world - see the city below. We toured the gift shop and had a quick lunch.
Wake up call at 0530, luggage packed on bus by 0615, and departed with our sack breakfasts
at 0630 for the Dublin docks. We boarded one of the huge Irish Ferries ferrys, departed Ireland at 8:05.
The seas were running 1 - 2 feet so the passage was very smooth. That didn't keep a few people
from having motion sickness issues even after dosing with some Dramamine. Many slept for most of the voyage. No internet so the blog had to wait until the evening to be updated.
Since the UK is located at such a high latitude, it gets light very early and stays light later than in the US currently. Daylight starts about 4:15am and the day doesn't get dark until after 9:30pm. It's making it difficult for some travelers to get their sleep rhythm back.
Landed at Holyhead in Wales about 11:30am. Left the boat, grabbed our luggage, and boarded a new bus with a new driver - Lauchan...
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| Welcoming Terminal at Holyhead, Wales |
Traveled a short bit in Wales to the city with the longest name in the world - see the city below. We toured the gift shop and had a quick lunch.
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| The Welsh city with the longest name in the world! |
A quick bus ride North to the Beaumaris Castle, (meaning beautiful marsh) one of the finest examples of castle building. It was the last castle in the defense ring created by Edward I, keeping the Welsh out of England. While visiting the wonderful place, one of the girls got bird-bombed by a seagull - really nasty. Also, one of the boys bought a sword and shield to defend the honor of all the girls.
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| Inside Beaumaris Castle |
After a couple more hours on the road, we arrived at our hotel - the Britannia Country House in Manchester, GB - a huge place and VERY busy and noisy. We had a wonderful buffet dinner. On the way, we stopped at a fantastic valley in the Snowdonia National Park, with rock outcroppings created by the last ice age glaciers in the area. It's famous for rock-climbing and instructor training. The 1953 Everest mountain team trained in this area. It would be cool to one day go back with the girls and do an orienteering class for a week, or three.
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| Snowdonia National Park in Wales |
Comment: I've seem more cows, goats, sheep, and _________ in the last 4 days than I've seen in my life.
The level of Maria's unrequited need for chocolate is increasing every day...
One of the girls left her retainer on the dinner table this evening. An hour or so after dinner she realized it. She had better thank her mom who, with one of the chefs, dug through 5 bags of trash to find the retainer.
Maria is off to do her room checks,,,,
Today we left the ROI - Republic of Ireland. It is the only country in our travels that uses the Euro. The remainder use the Great Britain Pound. The ferry had a currency exchange so many folks used that to convert their leftover Euros into Pounds. Many have also pulled Pounds from the ATM here in the hotel lobby.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, Day 4
Wednesday - started with a much better breakfast. In addition to the normal continental items, they had the scrambled eggs but also had bangers (the UK word for sausage) but no mash (UK for mashed potatoes). They had lots of fruit and roasted tomatoes that tasted great.
The weather was cool but nary a cloud in the sky. Turned out to a dry day and probably the warmest day in Dublin yet this year.
We had a short bus ride into the city center where we picked up our local guide - Renee - who was a hoot. She was very knowledgeable about every facet of Dublin and the Irish, and even led us in an Irish rendition of Danny Boy. She conducted a guided bus tour of many of the main city attractions. We de-bused, if that's a word, and took a nice tour of St Patrick's (the patron saint of Ireland) Cathedral.
The internet is extremely slow tonight. It's now midnight and we are up at 5:30am to pack, head to the port, and jump on the ferry to Wales. I'll try to catch up later tomorrow.
Lunch on our own. Went to O'Neil's Pub and had Fish and Chips. Very good. Others scattered around the city for different fare.
After lunch went to the Guiness Storehouse - the main brewing plant for Guiness. They have a nice self-guided tour starting on the Ground floor and walking you thru the history of Guiness and how it's produced, all the way up to the 7th floor. Where the tour is conducted used to be part of the old brewing plant. They did a nice job of converting. On the 7th floor is a 360 degree bar where your entry fee entitles you to a free pint of Guiness (or a soda for those under 18 years old, which is the legal drinking age in the UK). They also have the Guiness Academy on the 5th floor where we received lessons in how to do the perfect Guiness pour. After mastering the technique you receive a nice certificate stating you are a "pourmaster".
We had dinner at a downtown restaurant - chicken fried chicken with gravy, mash (mashed potatoes), and vegetables, with ice cream for dessert.
After that we went to a dance studio where the girls had one hour of instruction in Irish dancing. Many of them picked it up fairly quickly - ask them to show you when they get back home!
We attribute all the good weather to one of our travelers who sends a daily e-mail to God asking for beautiful weather! It sure seems to be working. We are scheduled to be in Scotland in a couple days where they are having very dry and warm weather.
Got back to the hotel about 9:30pm. Many were tired and since we have to get up really early to depart the next morning,packed and headed to bed.
Wednesday - started with a much better breakfast. In addition to the normal continental items, they had the scrambled eggs but also had bangers (the UK word for sausage) but no mash (UK for mashed potatoes). They had lots of fruit and roasted tomatoes that tasted great.
The weather was cool but nary a cloud in the sky. Turned out to a dry day and probably the warmest day in Dublin yet this year.
We had a short bus ride into the city center where we picked up our local guide - Renee - who was a hoot. She was very knowledgeable about every facet of Dublin and the Irish, and even led us in an Irish rendition of Danny Boy. She conducted a guided bus tour of many of the main city attractions. We de-bused, if that's a word, and took a nice tour of St Patrick's (the patron saint of Ireland) Cathedral.
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| Our Hotel |
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| St Patrick's in Dublin |
Lunch on our own. Went to O'Neil's Pub and had Fish and Chips. Very good. Others scattered around the city for different fare.
After lunch went to the Guiness Storehouse - the main brewing plant for Guiness. They have a nice self-guided tour starting on the Ground floor and walking you thru the history of Guiness and how it's produced, all the way up to the 7th floor. Where the tour is conducted used to be part of the old brewing plant. They did a nice job of converting. On the 7th floor is a 360 degree bar where your entry fee entitles you to a free pint of Guiness (or a soda for those under 18 years old, which is the legal drinking age in the UK). They also have the Guiness Academy on the 5th floor where we received lessons in how to do the perfect Guiness pour. After mastering the technique you receive a nice certificate stating you are a "pourmaster".
We had dinner at a downtown restaurant - chicken fried chicken with gravy, mash (mashed potatoes), and vegetables, with ice cream for dessert.
After that we went to a dance studio where the girls had one hour of instruction in Irish dancing. Many of them picked it up fairly quickly - ask them to show you when they get back home!
We attribute all the good weather to one of our travelers who sends a daily e-mail to God asking for beautiful weather! It sure seems to be working. We are scheduled to be in Scotland in a couple days where they are having very dry and warm weather.
Got back to the hotel about 9:30pm. Many were tired and since we have to get up really early to depart the next morning,packed and headed to bed.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, Day 3
Tuesday, another wonderful day on the Emerald Isle. Breakfast was your usual continental breakfast - cereal, juice, milk, toast, etc, until they brought out the scrambled eggs and the excellent tea and coffee.
Weather started cool and rainy, and rained almost ever time we got on the bus. The good news - it seemed to stop as we got to each new location. We have a lucky person traveling with us who prays for these weather breaks so we can enjoy the trip. Seems to be working.
We left Killarney about 7:30 am and headed toward Blarney Castle and Waterford, driving over many small, tree-lined highways and seemingly just barely missing colliding with other buses or trucks. Our driver Dani is superb!.
Blarney was beautiful. Many people climbed to the top of the tower to kiss the Blarney Stone.
Tuesday, another wonderful day on the Emerald Isle. Breakfast was your usual continental breakfast - cereal, juice, milk, toast, etc, until they brought out the scrambled eggs and the excellent tea and coffee.
Weather started cool and rainy, and rained almost ever time we got on the bus. The good news - it seemed to stop as we got to each new location. We have a lucky person traveling with us who prays for these weather breaks so we can enjoy the trip. Seems to be working.
We left Killarney about 7:30 am and headed toward Blarney Castle and Waterford, driving over many small, tree-lined highways and seemingly just barely missing colliding with other buses or trucks. Our driver Dani is superb!.
Blarney was beautiful. Many people climbed to the top of the tower to kiss the Blarney Stone.
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| Blarney Castle |
The grounds were very nice, even the Poison Garden. Much shopping in the Blarney Store was done. We picked up some sandwiches to eat while we were traveling over lunch time to Waterford.
The history of Waterford Crystal Company is very interesting. They got purchased by a conglomerate in 2010 which is trying to continue the level of production previously enjoyed by Waterford. The town itself is nice and historic. We had a nice tour of the factory where we observed the artisans creating their products. The have to be very skilled in working with glass/crystal to produce their remarkable pieces. Here are a couple of examples in their showroom...
This bear, although standing 3 ft high, lists for 30,000 Euros (26,000 about if shipped to US and the tax removed...) But this one is something else..
This Cinderella pumpkin carriage and horses lists for 40,000 Euros - that's about $52,000 !!! Wow.
During the tour, our tour guide introduced our 2 Scout leaders to the head of the Girl Guides for the Waterford area, Caroline. She invited us back to camp with them.
We had a 2 hour drive headed to Dublin. Noticed lots of school children in the towns, all dressed in their school uniforms. All the primary schools in Ireland have uniforms. Saw lots of cattle and sheep in the fields. All the sheep still had all their wool. Great hills and valleys.
We made it into Dublin this evening, had a good dinner and watched some Irish dancing and listened to some Irish singing. Most headed to the hotel (where it's late and storming outside, again.) and a few stayed for an Irish show. The Irish show after dinner was really cool. One of our adults actually got to help sing and one of the boys was taken up onto the dance floor to dance. Was a very enjoyable evening.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013, Day 2, and we have arrived in the Emerald Isle.
Before we proceed, we wish to acknowledge all those people who have contributed so much to keep our nation free. Thanks to all those who have served on this Memorial Day...
So we arrived at Shannon Airport about 8:30am Ireland time. And since Ireland is famous for all its green because of all the rain, we arrived in a small rain shower. But that didn't dampen our spirits! Only one bag did not arrive with us, but it is supposed to catch up with us tomorrow. We went through passport control (and everyone still had theirs - none left on the plane) then picked up our bags and went through customs control. A breeze. Our tour guide Ali was waiting for us, with our big white bus we will have while we are in Ireland.
We are at our small hotel, resting and recuperating, preparing to maybe get a carriage ride, explore the city of Killarney, then have dinner about 6:30pm...
Before we proceed, we wish to acknowledge all those people who have contributed so much to keep our nation free. Thanks to all those who have served on this Memorial Day...
So we arrived at Shannon Airport about 8:30am Ireland time. And since Ireland is famous for all its green because of all the rain, we arrived in a small rain shower. But that didn't dampen our spirits! Only one bag did not arrive with us, but it is supposed to catch up with us tomorrow. We went through passport control (and everyone still had theirs - none left on the plane) then picked up our bags and went through customs control. A breeze. Our tour guide Ali was waiting for us, with our big white bus we will have while we are in Ireland.
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| Our welcome to the Shannon airport |
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| Ali, our fantastic tour director. |
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| Our "coach". |
The majority of the group headed to the Cliffs of Moher while a smaller group went to BunRatty Castle.
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| Cliffs of Moher. |
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| Ad monument by the visitor center at the Cliffs. |
We are at our small hotel, resting and recuperating, preparing to maybe get a carriage ride, explore the city of Killarney, then have dinner about 6:30pm...
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013 - Day 1
We are at JFK in New York!!!!
Had good flights - Omaha to Detroit and Detroit to JFK Flights were on time, even arriving early in both places. We have 2.5 hours to wait until we board the flight to Shannon Airport in Ireland! EVERYONE is excited. We picked up our final 3 travelers at JFK so we are up to our full contingent of 29 people.
We are at JFK in New York!!!!
Had good flights - Omaha to Detroit and Detroit to JFK Flights were on time, even arriving early in both places. We have 2.5 hours to wait until we board the flight to Shannon Airport in Ireland! EVERYONE is excited. We picked up our final 3 travelers at JFK so we are up to our full contingent of 29 people.
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| Final instructions. |
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| The Omaha contingent. |
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| Keeping occupied waiting for the plane. |
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| On the first flight. |
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| Meeting up with our group from Maine. |
Great appreciative comments from the crews and gate workers after we presented them their Girl Scout cookies!
And we are off from JFK about 9:30pm, IRELAND bound!!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Be sure to check out the web page dedicated to the trip -
https://sites.google.com/site/troop5483/europe-2013-trip
https://sites.google.com/site/troop5483/europe-2013-trip
Monday, May 20, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Check out these cool tips about what to do the first day on a trip:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/travelers-ed/10-things-to-do-in-the-first-24-hours-of-your-trip
http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/travelers-ed/10-things-to-do-in-the-first-24-hours-of-your-trip
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
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